New trends in exercise

Exercise trends develop and change very often, and keeping up can be a challenge. If you want to stay fit, here are some new things you can try out!

Budget-friendly (or more bang for the buck) workouts with 2-on-1 or even 3-on-1 training sessions are a reflection of the current recession. Trainers are now working with couples or maybe a group of friends in the same session in lieu of training just one person. They may even opt to go for half-hour sessions instead of the full hour.

Dance-based classes are fast becoming very popular! Zumba—a fitness program inspired by Latin dance—combines South American rhythms with cardiovascular exercise. Ballroom, Bollywood, Afro-Cuban and other exotic dance styles are growing in popularity, too.

Mind-body fitness solutions combine what might seem like opposing exercises—like mind-body movements, plus aerobics. Among these new workouts are Cy-Yo, a 1-hour workout combining 10 minutes of yoga, 40 minutes of intense peddling on a stationary bike, then 10 more minutes of yoga to cool down and refocus your mind. YogaFit workouts merge traditional yoga with a variety of other things, including strength training, core muscle building and firming your glutes.

While not totally new, kettlebells are traditional Russian weights that have become very popular within the last year or so. Resembling a cannonball with a handle, kettlebells are great for increasing strength, endurance, agility and balance. They’re particularly effective for strengthening the core, since it requires those muscles to contract as a group.

Getting back to the basics—trainers are again focusing on basic movements and techniques to help their clients. Exercises like push-ups, chair dips, abdominal floor work, lunges or squats can manifest excellent results when done properly. They also can be a great way for someone to stick with an exercise program when they don’t always have access to a gym.

Boot camp-style workouts are very intense and provide a total-body workout that’s both varied and challenging. Participants can burn anywhere from 600-1,000 calories per session while strengthening large muscle groups with pushups, squats and lunges. The downside is that you get yelled at—drill sergeant style.

Exercise trends come and go, but in the end you must choose which fitness routine is best suitable for you and your goals. If you haven’t been exercising for awhile, just be sure to ask your physician before getting started, especially if you have any risk factors, like an injury or recent surgery.

Plastic notation and BPA

Plastic material is found in so many different products, many consumers may not even realize the things they use might have plastic in them. Not all plastics are the same; they are classified in seven different categories and come in many different forms. You can determine the category of a plastic you’re using by looking at the symbol usually found on the bottom of the product.

With growing concern about BPA content in plastic, it’s important to know what type of plastic you’re using. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical that is used in the production of polycarbonate plastic resins, epoxy resins, and other products. BPA can leach into food through containers and is believed to cause health problems. Scientists have found that the chemical causes health problems in animal studies and are concerned about the risk it poses to humans.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has addressed this concern and says that current BPA exposure levels are not an immediate health risk. While the risk may not be immediate, the FDA does acknowledge that further research is necessary to define the exact health threats associated with BPA.

Plastics classified as number 7 or 3 can leach BPA into food and beverages. Numbers 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 do not use BPA during package forming.

Number 1 plastics

• Found in water bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter containers, and salad dressing containers
• Can be recycled through most curbside programs
• Lightweight and inexpensive to recycle.  Polar fleece, athletic shoes and occasionally new containers are just some of the uses for recycled number 1 plastics

Number 2 plastics

• Found in milk jugs, juice bottles, household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, some shopping bags, and cereal box liners
• Can be recycled through most curbside programs
• Once recycled, number 2 plastics can turn into the same containers they once were

Number 3 plastic

• Found in window cleaner bottles, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding and windows
• Rarely recycled, but are occasionally accepted by plastic lumber makers. Once recycled, they can become mud flaps, roadway gutters, cables,  and speed bumps
• Commonly referred to as PVC; releases toxins in the air when burned

Number 4 plastics

• Found in bread bags, frozen food bags, dry cleaning bags, furniture and carpet
• Not often recycled, but can be used to make trash can liners and cans, compost bins and shipping envelopes

Number 5 plastics

• Found in syrup bottles, yogurt containers, straws and medicine bottles
• Can be recycled in most curbside programs and can be used to make signal lights, brooms, brushes, ice scrapers, rakes and bike racks
• Have a high melting point, so they are often used for hot liquids

Number 6 plastics

• Found in disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons and carry-out containers
• Can be recycled and used for the same products they once were
• Usually made into rigid or foamed products

Number 7 plastics

• Any other type of plastic or a combination of the other 6 plastics falls into this category 
• Sunglasses, iPod and computer cases and nylon are products with number 7 plastics
• Not typically recycled

Times are tough—how are people earning money? 

Unemployment is on the decline and the economy is taking a turn for the better but even with these glimmers of good news everyone's budget is still tight. Luckily, if you're unemployed or need a little help to make ends meet, there are some interesting things you can do to earn a little extra money this year.

Search online

Search the internet and you'll find a lot of great ways to earn money online. But remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There are thousands of "earn money fast online" scams out there.

Start a blog

Sure there are a TON of blogs out there but if you have a unique point of view or idea people will read your blog! Plus, with blog publishing Web sites like Blogger and Wordpress, starting a blog is easy! They even have built-in features that help you design your blog so you don’t need to be a master of web design.

Sell your old stuff

In the summer, or if you live in a fairly warm climate all year, a garage sale is a great way to earn a few bucks. Plus, thanks to Web sites like Craigslist and eBay people can buy, sell, trade and barter just about anything all year round. You never have to worry about the weather!

Sell your crafts

Are you really great at creating hand-made, one-of-a-kind works of art like jewelry, clothing or crafts? Then check-out Etsy.com! As eBay is great for selling just about everything, Etsy focuses on selling all things handmade.

Freelance from home

There are still a lot of businesses that have let employees go but still need the help. Since they can't afford a full-time employee, a lot of places are hiring temporary freelancers. Depending on the type of work or how big the project is, you may even be able to work several freelance jobs without ever stepping foot into an office building.

What are you doing to earn extra money during these difficult times?

How to prepare for houseguests 

Along with presents and home cooked meals, one more thing you can count on this season is houseguests. There’s no other time of year better suited for bunking with your family. Grandma flies in from Florida, Uncle Jack and the kids drive in from Ohio, Cousin Molly hops a train from New York…And your house becomes the Holiday Inn! So, how do you prepare for your houseguests and what can you do to make them feel most at home? Read these tips so you’re ready to put on the party hat, deck the halls and enjoy the season with them!

Become a clean freak. Set aside an entire weekend to get your house in order, especially the rooms your guests will be sleeping in. Change the bed linens, dust everything, vacuum, and put away all the clutter. Adding some fresh flowers to their bedside table and chocolates to their pillows is a nice welcoming touch, as well.

Create an open-door policy. Make an extra set of house keys for your guests so they can come and go as they please. It’s possible not everyone will be on the same schedule and it’s important to make your guests feel at home, not imprisoned.

Pamper them like the penthouse. Fill a small basket with sample-size shampoos, conditioners, lotions, soaps and mouthwash and place it near a fresh stack of folded towels in the bathroom. You can find these items at most grocery stores and superstores.

Sometimes it takes more than sheep. Add some magazines and books and a small television to the guests rooms. Unfamiliar places can cause insomnia for some people. These added distractions can help them catch some zzz’s.

Rack ‘em up! Provide a suitcase rack so your guests can easily get in and out of their luggage without having to spread their clothes all over the floor. Also, clear out part of the closet and leave some empty hangers. Store some extra blankets and pillows in the closet, too.

Fill your shopping cart. Hit up the grocery store to make sure your house is stocked with plenty of beverages and bottled water, snacks (fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, chips, and cookies) and meal ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Encourage your guests to help themselves when they are hungry. Consider filling a large basket with energy bars, microwave popcorn, candy, and other snacks, and putting it out on the counter for everyone to pick from.

Cameras optional. Once your guests arrive give them the grand tour. Show them where glasses, silverware, dishes, tea, coffee, doughnuts and cereal are located. Encourage them to help themselves any time.

While you are running around making sure your home is perfect, don’t forget to actually spend time with those visiting you. Remember, they came to visit you, not your house. Happy holidays!

Responsible facebook usage

Social networking has exploded into mainstream society. It seems like everyone has a Facebook page which means the personal information you post is suddenly visible to all. With the rise of Facebook popularity and the visibility we’re giving to friends, and maybe even co-workers, it’s important to remember to use the application responsibly.

It’s been a long day…you’re ready to go home, relax and decompress after 8 stressful hours at work. For some, that might mean checking out Facebook for your friends’ updates. Should you add your own status update venting about a disagreement at the office? Definitely not. When you’re Facebook friends with everyone from you second-grade best friend to your boss, it’s necessary to filter. While ethics might not be the first thing you think about when using Facebook, it’s important to remember that when you put information out there, it doesn’t disappear into a black hole of internet chatter. People read it.

Even if you’re not currently employed, but do have a Facebook account, potential employers may view your page to find out more about you. Employers may use Facebook to find out more information you didn’t provide in your resume or interview. If your photo albums are filled with your party-girl past, your potential employer might hold that against you. Since any written information or photos posted to a perspective employee’s account can be available to the public, including possible employers, it is not considered an invasion of privacy to view. 

An easy fix to prevent potential employers, co-workers and even other strangers from viewing your Facebook information is to use your privacy settings. Facebook allows users to limit what profile information can be viewed and even become completely invisible to everyone not considered a “friend.” So, if you’re using Facebook…and let’s face it, you probably are, remember to think before you post because no one really wants to share that much information with fellow employees. 

I'll admit it, I'm one of the many adult women who have casually wandered into the young adult section, picked up the next book in the Twilight saga, ready with an alibi, "It's a gift!" before quickly leaving the bookstore to read the first chapter in my car. I may be a little embarrassed about having read (and thoroughly enjoyed) reading this saga, but with the millions of books that have been sold it's impossible to deny that there's something great about this series.

In addition to the incredible accomplishment of encouraging more tweens and adults to read, the Twilight saga by Stephanie Meyer has become a pop-culture phenomenon. With each book in the saga, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn on bestseller lists, two very popular movies out and two more on the way it's hard to go anywhere without seeing or hearing about Edward, Bella and Jacob or their actor counterparts Robert, Kristin and Taylor.

The saga begins with Bella Swan, an average teenage girl who moves from her home in Arizona with her mother and stepfather to live in the small town of Forks, Washington with her father. Life transitions from average to exciting when Bella falls for the tall, pale and handsome Edward Cullen whose family happens to be a coven of "vegetarian" vampires just trying to blend in. Even though humans are off the menu for the Cullen family, dating a human brings about serious risks which could kill them both! Then of course there's Jacob Black, Bella's best friend who in addition to completing an already complicated love triangle has a secret of his own.

Vampire enthusiasts won't be disappointed to find that these vampires still drink blood, are pale, immortal and can't go into the sunlight. They will notice however that these vampires don't follow the traditional model we've come to expect from Bram Stoker or Anne Rice. Instead Meyer has created her own type of vampire. While the differences can be distracting (they sparkle!? really?!) she does deserve credit for trying to be original when remakes are the order of the day.

To me it's no surprise that this saga has become so successful and addictive. In addition to incredible supernatural characters, suspense and forbidden romance Meyer has also woven into her books everyday situations readers can relate to or remember from their own high school experiences.

As much as I have enjoyed these books, the Twilight saga will never be considered great literature compared to classics like Wuthering Heights or Romeo and Juliet. Anyone reading this saga with those expectations will be disappointed. But the series is easy to read and has all of the elements of a story that keeps people hooked until the very end.

Already read the Twilight saga? What did you think?

The Twitter craze
It’s fun, but is it useful?

Twitter, the online social networking site that has exploded in popularity in recent years, has sparked debate on the usefulness of the site as well as raised questions about what and how we communicate.

In regard to how we communicate, Twitter actually has a built-in answer: succinctly.  “Tweets” are limited to 140 characters, forcing users to convey their thoughts in bite-sized correspondence.

The “what” question is a little trickier.

Communication is not difficult. It’s simply conveying a thought, want or desire to another. If your friend is standing next to an apple, and you would like that apple, you don’t need to say “My friend, would you be so kind as to reach next to you, pick up that apple and walk it over to me so I may eat it.”

You could simply grunt to get his or her attention, point at the apple then point at yourself to get the same point across.

And even though Twitter allows users to convey a thought instantly to hundreds, even thousands of people across the globe, you’re probably not going to use it to ask your friend for that apple.

Much like the telephone, the importance of the invention is not found in its mundane use, but in the impact of more extreme cases. A phone conversation between friends as they watch the latest episode of Oprah, the world could probably do with out. But the thousands of 911 calls received a day are a different story.

No, nobody needs to know that the childhood friend they haven’t seen in 20 years is having meatloaf for dinner, but as the recent protests in Iran following the nation’s presidential election have show, Twitter does have an important function: conveying information instantly to hundreds or thousands of people.

Whether it is Iranian protesters tweeting on abuses that the tightly-controlled media may not have reported on, or more mundane tasks like tweeting your new phone number to friends and family, Twitter – as well as other online networking sites like Facebook – has a function and is changing the way in which we communicate.

Do you “tweet”?  What are some of the useful or not-so-useful way to use the site?

Quick healthy breakfasts 

We’ve all heard it for years, and it’s true—breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Think about it, you literally break a fast from last night’s dinner, fueling your body for your day ahead.

Many people, especially dieters, skip breakfast to lose weight, when in fact, a more sensible strategy would be to skip dessert or late-night snacks. Others miss breakfast because they're just too busy. Unfortunately, this can set us up to grab anything and everything when hunger kicks in. We need to begin our day right and spend time eating a healthy breakfast, even if it means a little planning.

Most of us are trying to eat healthier—before, during and after work. Breakfast is often overlooked because it's easy to just buy an oversized muffin or pastry on-the-go. While convenient, these choices aren’t always the best since they both usually contain high levels of sugar.

Your healthy breakfast can be cold and even taken to go or eaten at work at your desk—fixing a hot breakfast isn’t necessary to make it healthy. Easy, healthy breakfasts can be as simple as the common breakfast. Try energy or cereal bars as well as healthy cereals. If you get to work using public transportation, you really don’t have an excuse for skipping your first meal. Bring your breakfast with you on the morning commute.

Remember to keep sliced cheese and meat on hand at home. Even though they might not seem like a typical breakfast food, they are great ways to fuel your body in the morning. Look for yogurt in convenient tubes or single-serving containers. Try topping them with fresh nuts for added protein.

Check out the produce aisle at the grocery store and you’ll find all kinds of healthy fruit that can be cut into slices and placed into containers or plastic zip bags. Try dried fruit such as raisins, bananas or cranberries as your healthy choice—they’ve been used for centuries. Bread is also a good addition to your brown-bag breakfast.

So start your own trend with these healthy alternatives to breakfast "junk food"—your body will love you for it!  

Eco-Friendly Holiday

The focus on saving sustainable resources continues to grow, and more people are working to find different ways of becoming more efficient in their day-to-day lives. As we venture into the fall, it’s time to think about how we can apply our “green” techniques to the holiday season.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans produce 25% more garbage between Thanksgiving and New Years Day than we do the rest of the year. There are several things you can do to help reduce this trend.

Holiday Cards – When looking for holiday cards, look for 100% recycled or tree-free paper. Although many people will opt to mail cards to their close family and friends, consider sending e-cards co-workers and friends who are computer savvy.

Shopping – During the busy holiday shopping season, use reusable cloth shopping bags. Not only are they more durable and easier to hold, but they can continue to be used all year round. Also, try car pooling to the shopping centers. If you decide to buy online, try making one large purchase rather than multiple small purchases that will require more packaging materials to ship.

Gift Wrap – When using gift wrap, avoid using excessive amounts of tape, and try using reusable bows and ribbon. As the holiday festivities unravel, rather than crumbling up all that used gift wrap, see what can be salvaged. If it’s in good condition, see if it can be reused again next year. If it’s too crinkled, remember to recycled it! When purchasing gift wrap, consider that foil- and plastic-coated wrapping cannot be recycled.

Packaging Gifts – When buying gifts, consider the gift’s destination. If it needs to be mailed, see if you can avoid purchasing larger items that require an excessive amount of packaging. For gifts that do need to be packaged, use old newspaper or magazine pages, plain popped popcorn, or old brown paper bags. For gifting fresh baked goods, use reusable tins. If you received a gift that used Styrofoam peanuts, donate it to your local post office.

Decorations – If you’re going to use lights to decorate, use LED lights that are up to 90% more efficient than traditional lights. When possible, scale back on decorations that require electricity. If you do have some electric decorations, then be sure to unplug them before going to bed at night to save energy. If you decorate with a tree, bring your used tree to a designated recycling center in your area so it can be cut up into wood chips. Also, considering using nature to decorate – pinecones, acorns and leaves can all add a festive decorative touch.

How likely are you to have an eco-friendly holiday this year?  What else can you do to stay “green” this season?

Nordie’s at Noon: the personal stories of 4 women “too young” for breast cancer
By Patti Balwanz, Kim Carlos, Jennifer Johnson, Jana Peters 

Nordie’s at Noon is a collection of stories from four women who share not only friendship, but a common diagnosis of breast cancer. The group started with two friends, Patti and Jana, who met during their visits to the same oncologist for chemotherapy treatment. Jana’s friend Jennifer is the third to join the group. The foursome is completed with the addition of Kim – Patti’s college friend. The group meets monthly at Nordstrom’s café to share their stories.

What may come as a surprise to some readers is the young age of each of these women at the time of their diagnoses. Patti, Jennifer and Jana were diagnosed with breast cancer in their twenties, and Kim was only 30 years old. All four women found a lump in their breast during routine self exams; Jennifer was pregnant when she made the discovery.

Patti, Jana, Jennifer and Kim share their personal experiences; They discuss everything from the discovery and treatment of their cancer as well as other milestones in life such as marriage and children. When Jana began chemotherapy, she calculated that she would be married just one month after her final treatment. Jennifer’s son was born just following her last chemotherapy session. She remembers losing all of her hair during her treatment, but her son arrives with a full head of hair – a welcome sign that he had not been affected by the medication.

Nordie’s at Noon is a heartwarming collection of personal stories from four women. Their accounts celebrate life but also educate readers on the importance of breast self exams. The book also contains a glossary and list of breast cancer resources as a guide to learn more. Part of the proceeds from the sale of each book goes to various non-profit breast cancer organizations. For more information, visit http://www.nordiesatnoon.com/.  

OpenOffice.org

Open source is a broad term for software licensing that allows a computer program to be distributed and used for no charge. 

OpenOffice.org is probably the most well-known open-source program.  Designed as an alternative to Microsoft Office, it is a multi-platform office productivity suite that is compatible with many systems, including the latest Microsoft and Mac operating systems, Linux, and Solaris.

Programs available from OpenOffice.org include Writer (a word processing program), Calc (a spreadsheet program similar to Excel) and Impress, and a presentation program (similar to PowerPoint). While these programs offer the benefits of Microsoft-like programs for no cost, perhaps the biggest plus is that this program can open Microsoft files and can be opened by Microsoft programs. This allows people to use OpenOffice.org and not be shut out of a business world dominated by Microsoft Office.

OpenOffice.org is derived from StarOffice, an office suite developed by Sun Microsystems, and is commonly referred to as OpenOffice. This program was released under an open-source license in October 2000 and does not allow users to alter the program’s code. Since then, releases have alternated between “feature” releases and “bug fix” releases. The next, version 3.2, will be a feature release and is scheduled for November 2009. It will include, among new features, a major overhaul of Impress.

To learn more about OpenOffice.org and to download the program, go to www.Openoffice.org.

Inexpensive Home Security

With reports that the economic downturn sparked an increase in crime, more and more people are taking steps to make their homes more secure. Although criminals probably won’t target most of us, like Ben Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Costing only about $20 each, motion detectors are easy to install and effectively sense movement or even sounds within 40 feet; some are even designed to ignore pets and other small animals.

Magnetic window and door contacts cost just a few dollars each and are also easy to install. When the magnetic contact is breached, it communicates (often wirelessly) with your security system, setting off the alarm and/or contacting the police.

Interested in a security system? It might be less expensive than you think. For around $120, you can get a basic system that includes a keypad with user codes, a siren, event-initiated paging and even a backup battery. These systems are often immune to pets weighing under 85lbs.

If you’re interested in video surveillance, you can often connect video cameras to the DVR of your personal computer using cables or your existing wireless network. Bullet-style, color and day-and-night infrared cameras with brackets start at about $80 each. Complete, self-contained video-surveillance systems start around $1,500 and usually include a DVR with auto-detecting video signal loss and HDD failure, several cameras with wall mounts, a monitor, software, and cables.

There is also a plethora of secret-agent style gadgets available for around $100, including cameras built into working pens, smoke detectors or peepholes. For under $200, you can even buy a fingerprint/biometric door lock that unlocks when an authorized user places his or her finger on the pad.

How do you keep your home or office secure?

Compost heaps
The best way to get started

Composting is not only good for your garden, it also takes a small burden off the environment. With compost you turn waste into rich nutrients and return them to the earth and your plants, relieving your local landfill. It’s also a more fun, interactive approach to the life cycle of trash. Here’s a guide to making a compost pile in your own yard:

Select a spot

Make sure it’s convenient for you and your neighbors – nothing intrusive or unsightly for them. Put the pile directly on the earth so nutrients and insects can naturally cycle up and down through the pile. The ground should also be level and well drained. You might even want to build a small enclosure to secure the pile from wind and to hide it from view. Or you can purchase a special compost bin if you’re serious about your compost.

Make compost

Many organic materials are compostable, from leaves to newspaper. According to composting Web site compostguide.com, “The pile needs a proper ratio of carbon-rich materials, or ‘browns,’ and nitrogen-rich materials, or ‘greens.’ Among the brown materials are dried leaves, straw, and wood chips. Nitrogen materials are fresh or green, such as grass clippings and kitchen scraps.” The rate of decomposition depends on the ratio of browns to greens. It can take some time and trial and error to perfect, but the Guide says you’ll need roughly 25 parts browns to 1 part greens. If you want usable compost this season, you’ll have to put some work into it. This involves chopping and shredding materials into smaller pieces that will decompose quicker, turning the pile to circulate oxygen, and knowing which materials make a perfect balance. A more passive approach to composting – waiting for materials to decompose on their own – could take up to two years to produce usable compost.

Use it

Compost is ready to use in your garden when it is dark brown and when most materials have been completely broken down. This finished compost comes from the bottom of the pile. Depending on how nutrient poor your soil is, you can either use the compost as a top layer, or work it into the soil. Either way, the compost will allow your soil to better hold water, air, and nutrients, and will make your plants healthier.

There’s more to composting than what’s mentioned in this article.  For a more in-depth guide and a list of compostable materials, visit www.compostguide.com.

Food Additives
What does the latest research say about them?

Food manufacturers add a multitude of food additives to their pre-packaged foods, and some fear that they could potentially be harmful. Since many people are concerned about the affects of these additives, WebMD.com featured the article “The Truth About 7 Common Food Additives” by Martin Downs. See what the latest research says on several common food additives: 

Artificial Coloring

They are used in foods, drinks and condiments to make products look more appealing, but do not change the actual flavor of the product. Although they have been suspected to cause hyperactivity in kids and thought to worsen asthma symptoms, the results from over 30 years of studies are mixed. The FDA still considers artificial food colorings to be safe when used properly.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

This sweetener is made from corn and is found in various sweets, processed foods and non-diet soda. Although some expects suspected that people metabolized high fructose corn syrup in a way that raises their risk for type 2 diabetes and obesity, others claim it’s “just sugar.” Too much of any sugar is not healthy, so limit your overall sugar intake.

Aspartame

Commonly used in various diet products, this artificial sweetener has raised many health concerns. Although several studies claim that use of this sweetener has been linked to everything from headaches to cancer, other studies have disproved these claims.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Used as a flavor enhancer, this commonly used additive is found in Chinese food, frozen dinners, packaged soups and salty snack foods. Although there have been contradicting reports as to whether people may be sensitive to MSG, if you have adverse reactions, you should avoid foods containing MSG.

Hydrogenated Oils (Trans Fats)

They are created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil and added during the manufacturing process. They are commonly found in deep-fried foods and baked goods. Since trans fats have been proven to lower people’s good cholesterol (HDI) and raise bad cholesterol (LDL), The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1% of your daily calories from trans fats. 

For more information on other common food additives, visit WebMd.com.

Stay-cations

How to be a tourist in your home town

When taking a trip out-of-town is out of the question, consider taking a stay-cation! Stay-cations are just like vacations, but they let you stay close to home. Not only is a stay-cation a great way to enjoy the fun things to do in your own neighborhood, it’s also a great way to save money, too.

Before you start your stay-cation, though, make sure you plan to treat it like a real vacation. Set specific days aside just as you would for a vacation away from home. Resist calling your office, checking e-mail or listening to voicemail messages. Get as many household chores done before your stay-cation, too. Your stay-cation should be all about relaxing and enjoying your time away from your normal schedule.

Got some ideas for fun things to do? Great! For other ideas, try one of these:

• Visit local farmers markets or orchards. Take advantage of the fresh seasonal produce they have to offer.
  
• Check out your local library. Catch up on some reading or see what programs the library has to offer.
  
• Take a tour of a museum, zoo, amusement park, or historic site.
  
• Go to a local sporting event, or plan a day of games at the park and bring a picnic lunch.
  
• Relax by a pool – yours, a neighbor’s, or a community pool. Don’t let storms get in the way of swimming - visit an indoor water park! 
  
• Plan a block party, cocktail party or BBQ with your neighbors.
  
• Rent movies or see a matinee – every day!
  
• Try a meal at a new restaurant. Make sure you order an appetizer and a dessert, too!
  
• Hire a maid to clean your house while you lounge.
  
• Plan a mini trip. Stay at a hotel overnight and take advantage of room service.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you enjoy it to the fullest.  It’s a vacation!  What are some stay-cation ideas you have?